To find a reliable service provider for ad optimization, look for one that knows your industry, lets you own your ad account, reports on leads and cost per lead (not just clicks), puts its fees and budget in writing, and can show real results for businesses like yours. Then test them with a clear goal over a set period before committing long term. Most bad agency experiences come from skipping one of those checks.
Here’s the process we’d use if we were hiring someone to run our own ads, built on Google’s advice for advertisers working with agencies and what we’ve seen running home-service accounts at Altura.
What does ad optimization actually involve?
“Ad optimization” is the ongoing work of making your paid ads produce more leads for the same money, or the same leads for less. For search ads, that means:
- Reviewing the actual searches your ads showed for, and blocking the irrelevant ones
- Adjusting bids, budgets and locations based on where leads come from
- Testing ad copy and landing pages
- Making sure every call and form is tracked correctly
- Pausing what isn’t working and moving money to what is
A reliable provider does this on a regular schedule, not just when you complain.
Step 1: Start with providers who know your industry
An agency that runs ads for dentists, law firms and e-commerce stores may be competent, but it’ll spend your first months learning what a roofer or plumber already knows: which searches book jobs, which seasons spike, and which “free estimate” and “DIY” searches waste money.
Look for a provider that works with businesses like yours, and ask how many accounts in your trade they manage right now. Google itself notes that a good agency brings insight from experience, like which industries have higher costs or which keywords may not suit your business.
Step 2: Check credentials, but don’t stop there
If a provider displays a Google Partner badge, Google suggests clicking it to confirm it links to the agency’s real profile on Google. According to Google’s Partner requirements, the badge reflects things like a minimum optimization score, at least $10,000 in managed spend over 90 days, and staff certifications.
That tells you an agency meets Google’s baseline. It doesn’t tell you whether they understand your trade, your margins or your market. Use it as one data point, not the decision.
Step 3: Make sure you’ll own your ad account
This is the single most important protection you have. Google recommends that an agency set up a separate account for you. In practice, make sure:
- The Google Ads account is in your business’s name, and you have admin access.
- Your billing method is attached to your own account, so you can see exactly what Google charges.
- If you part ways, the account, its history and its conversion data stay with you.
A provider who won’t agree to this is a provider to walk away from.
Step 4: Get fees and budget in writing
Google’s guidance is direct here: get an official copy of your agreement in writing, and remember that agency fees come on top of your ad spend when you work out your real cost. Before signing, be clear on:
- The management fee, and whether it’s flat or a percentage of spend
- Your monthly ad budget, and confirmation it will actually be spent on ads
- Any setup fees, landing page costs or extras
- Contract length and how to cancel
Different fee structures create different incentives. We break them down in pay-per-lead vs pay-per-click.
Step 5: Ask what they’ll report, and how often
Google says you have a right to see, at minimum, your clicks, impressions and total ad cost, and recommends measuring results monthly with a focus on return, like new customers. A reliable provider goes further and shows you:
- Calls and form leads, by campaign
- Cost per lead
- The search terms your ads showed for
- What they changed since the last report, and why
If the reports are all impressions and click-through rates with no leads in sight, ask why. Tracking is the foundation; here’s how conversion tracking should be set up.
Step 6: Ask for proof from businesses like yours
Ask for specific results: leads, cost per lead and spend, in your industry. Vague claims like “we doubled revenue” without numbers don’t tell you much.
For example, at Altura we publish our results. A junk removal account produced 52 leads (27 calls and 25 forms) in its first 8 days from $1,500 in spend, or $28.85 per lead. You can read exactly how in the junk removal case study.
Step 7: Test one provider at a time, with a clear goal
Google recommends testing agencies one at a time rather than splitting your budget between several. Agree upfront on what success looks like, such as a target cost per lead or number of booked jobs, and give it enough time to gather real data. A new account usually needs several weeks before you can judge it fairly. See what to expect from a new Google Ads account.
Warning signs to walk away from
Several of these come straight from Google’s own warnings to advertisers:
- Guaranteed ad positions or top rankings. Ad position is decided by an auction, so nobody can guarantee it.
- Claims to be “from Google” without a real @google.com email address.
- Promises that ads will improve your organic rankings. Google says advertising doesn’t affect organic results.
- Pressure to sign on the spot.
- Not spending the agreed budget, or not showing you what was spent.
- No admin access to your own account.
- Reports with no leads or cost per lead.
Questions to ask before you hire
- How many accounts in my industry do you manage right now?
- Will the account be in my name, with admin access for me?
- Who will actually work on my account, and can I talk to them directly?
- How do you track calls and forms?
- What will you report each month?
- What are your fees, and what’s included?
- What do you do when an account isn’t performing?
How Altura approaches ad optimization
Altura manages search ads only for home-service businesses: HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, landscaping, junk removal, cleaning and other trades, mainly in Washington, plus Arizona, Florida and California. We manage more than $100K a month in ad spend across contractor accounts, build landing pages matched to each campaign, and you talk directly with the person running your ads. If you want to hold us to every point on this list, we’d welcome it. Learn more about our Google Ads management.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my current ad provider is reliable?
Check whether you have admin access to your account, whether you can see your search terms, and whether reports show calls, leads and cost per lead. If any of those are missing, ask for them. Our guide on how to stop wasting money on Google Ads covers what to look for inside the account.
Is a Google Partner agency always better?
Not necessarily. Partner status shows an agency meets Google’s requirements for spend, optimization score and certifications. Industry experience and transparent reporting matter just as much for getting results.
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
Either can work. What matters is experience in your industry, account ownership, written terms and clear reporting. Apply the same checks to both.
How long should I give a new provider?
Usually a few months, with clear check-ins along the way. Early weeks are for gathering data; by the end of the first few months you should see a clear trend in cost per lead.
Talk to Altura
Run a home-service business and want a reliable partner for your ads? Send us a message or call 253-579-3230. We’ll answer every question on this list.
Cole Mello is the founder of Altura Marketing Group. He studied marketing at Washington State University and manages Google Ads, Local Services Ads and Meta campaigns for local service businesses. About Altura